Handle



(-No Model.)

F. C. ROGKWBLL. HANDLE.

Patented Oct. 27, 1896,

INI

MUNI

UNITED STATES ATENT EEICE.

FREDERICK CfROOIVELL, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

HANDLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 570,186, dated October27, 1896.

Application led November 2()J 1895. Serial No. 569,501. (No modelJ I Toall whom t may concern.-

Beit known that I, FREDERICK C. Rock- WELL, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State ofConnecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inHandles, of which the following is la specification.

The invention relates to the construction of the handles of that classthat are made of a soft material, such as cork; and the object is toprovide such a construction that desirable, soft, pleasant-feelinghandles can be employed without danger of their splitting, cracking, orbreaking up and that can be finished with tips or ends that are verystrong, are of an attractive and pleasing appearance, and of a colorharmonizing with 'the trimmings of the machine or implement upon whichthe handles are to be used.

To this end the invention resides in ahandle that may be formed of abody of molded and compressed material, such as pulverized or brokencork and rubber, shellac, or a similar binding-gum, which material formsacomfortable and desirable grip-section for the handle, with tips at theends of the molded and compressed body, which tips are formed with anexterior surface of molded and compressed composition, such as rubber orshellac with suitable lling, or similar compounds artistically coloredand shaped, and an inner lining of metal, whereby the molded andcompressed body material having the very comfortable and desirablecharacteristics and qualities can be employed without danger that thebodies will split,` crack, or break when in use, and whereby there canbe used tips having an exterior of a molded and compressed compoundwhich can be made very 'attractive in appearance, design, and color, butwhich in itself has proved to be too brittle, the two dierent molded andcompressed materials or compositions, that ofthe body having acomparatively weak texture and that of the tips, which is friable andbrittle, being firmly held in the construction of this invention by thelight metallic lining of the tips, so that each part of the molded andcompressed material will be prevented from breaking under the strainsand knocks to which it is liable to be subjected.

Referring to the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a side View of one of the handles. Fig. 2 is a centrallongitudinal section of the same.. Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectionof thetip used at one end, and Fig. 4 is a similar section of the tip used atthe other end.

In the views, l indicates the body of the ortube 3, upon which thehandle is to be l placed and cemented.` The dies may be shaped toconform closely to the desired finished outline of the handle, andshoulders 4 may be left near the tapering ends 5, upon which the tipsare driven, or these tapering ends may be cut down, leaving theshoulders when the body is finished, as by sand-papering, filing, orbufng after being removed from the dies.

The tips are formed of interior metallic sleeves or thimbles andexterior molded and compressed factitious -compound. The thimble of thetip 6 consists of a straight tubular portion 7 open at both ends, theinner walls of which are parallel and made to fit the bar, rod, or tubeto which the handle is to be applied and that passes entirely throughthis thimble, and a tapering tubular portion 8, the inner walls of whichare larger than the straight tubular portion and are formed to fit thethin tapering inner end ofthe body part of the handle. The thimble ofthe tip 9 consists of a straight tubular portion 10, the inner Walls ofwhich are parallel and made to it the bar, rod, or tube to which thehandle is to be applied, with one end closed, because such bar, rod, ortube need not pass entirely through this tip. This thimble also has thetapering tubular portion' 11 larger than the straight portion, adaptedto it the thin tapering outer end of the body of the handle. Thesethimbles may be preferably stamped or drawn to shape in dies from thinmetal, as steel, and perforations may be formed through their Walls. Thethimbles, after being formed, are

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placed in suitable dies and upon them is molded and compressed theexterior compound 12, which forms the contour to the proper shape andgives the desired finish of the proper color, this material iiowingthrough the perforations in the Walls of the thimbles when made plasticunder the heat and pressure to which it is subjected, so that it issecurely held in place against any chance of breaking 01T. The tips thusformed are driven upon the tapering ends of the body portion of thehandle up to the shoulders, so that the entire outline of the handle issmooth, and are there cemented. Then the handle thus formed is cementedand driven upon the rod, tube, or bar of the implement or machine withwhich it is to be used.

Handles constructed in this manner are very simple, cheap, and strong.They have a very desirable nish, are neat and attractive in appearance,and can be trimmed to harmonize with the trimmings of the machine orimplement to which they are to be applied.

This construction permits the use of alight body formed of materialhaving a comparatively Weak texture, such as cork, but which has a verydesirable gripping-surface, for the strong metallic thimbles tightlyencircle the bar, rod, or tube upon which the handles are to be appliedat both ends and thus take all of the strain, relieving the body of thehandle from any strains tending to split it, and the thimbles also bindand hold the thin Weak ends of the body and prevent them from crackingor breaking away. At the same time the thin strong thimbles are light inWeight and they retain the molded and compressed i'actitious compoundapplied to their exterior in such a lnanner that this compound will notcrack and break away, which material possesses very desirablecharacteristics in that it finishes with a beautiful luster of anydesired color and which does not affect the hands that grasp the handleas does metal, which factitious compound could not previously besuccessfully used, because it is so brittle and easily breaks whensubjected to knocks and bruises and which does not alone give strengthto the body of the handle.

lVith the tips formed in the manner herein described the small metalthimbles take all the strain and strengthen both the soft composition ofthe body of the handle and also the tips of brittle factitious material.

I claim as my invention- A bicycle-handle consisting of a hollowgrasping body of molded and compressed broken particles of cork andshellac, perforated metallic sleeves encircling the outside of the endsof the body, and tips of molded and compressed plastic compound, thatincase the metallic sleeves and extend through the perforations thereof,substantially as specified.

FREDERICK C. ROCK WELL.

lVitn esses:

H. R. WILLIAMS, E. J. HYDE.

